Medicine: Rheum Flashcards
What are the key parts to a rheum hx?
PC - joint pain, stiffness, swelling
SHx - functionality, job, driver, smoking, drug compliance
SRV - skin, eyes, renal, constitutional, fatigue
What does the timing of the stiffness indicate?
Early morning, within ~half an hr, inflammatory
Worsens throughout the day infers more degenerative
What is the DAS28?
Disease Activity Score - 28 Joints
Number swollen and tender, inflam marker, global assessment
How does the DAS28 score translate to disease activity?
> 5.1 Active
<3.2 Low
<2.6 Remission
Which is arguably the most important aspect of rheum exams?
Looking
Talk through the hand exam
LOOK
Elbows, hands, skin, nails, palms, finger pulps
FEEL
Pulses, muscle bulk, snuffbox, tendon thickening, sensation, temp, squeeze MCPs then individually each MCP PIP DIP and wrists, sensation
MOVE
Active prayer and reverse, passive wrist flexion/extension, extend fingers, splay, push hands down, thumb, fists
FUNCTION
Power grip, pincer grip, pick up small object/do up button/hold pen, Tinel’s, Phalen’s, Froment’s, Finkelstein’s
What are you looking for in the elbows?
Psoriatic plaques, rheumatoid nodules, olecranon bursa, gout tophi
Where else should you look if you’re suspicious of gout?
The pinna of the ear
What are your looking for in the hands?
Hands: swelling, loss of alignment, muscle wasting, scars, symmetry
Skin/nails: pitting, ridging, nail fold vasculitis
Palms/finger pulps: palmar erythema and scars from carpal tunnel release
Boutonniere deformity @ PIP and DIP
Flexion @ PIP
Extension @ DIP
Swan neck deformity @ PIP and DIP
Extension @ PIP
Flexion @ DIP
What do nail signs suggest?
Clubbing - cardio, resp, gastro
Pitting - psoriasis
Koilinychia - iron def
Leukonychia - liver disease
Splinters - vasculitis
How do you test sensation in the hands?
Median - over thenar eminence
Ulnar - over hypothenar eminence
Radial - thumb and index webspace
Plus can do C678 dermatomes
Describe Phalen’s test
If you suspect carpal tunnel, perform reverse prayer for 60s or squeeze wrist and force into flexion for 30s, pos if any tingling/numbness
SEs of colchicine
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
Which three qs do you always ask at the start of the GALS screen?
Pain and stiffness, dressing, stairs
- Do you have any pain or stiffness in your muscles, joints or back?
- Can you dress yourself completely w/o any difficulty?
- Can you walk up and down the stairs w/o any difficulty?
GALS: What are you looking for in the gait?
Smoothness, symmetry, ability to turn quickly
NB: heal to toe and tip toe walking is more neuro looking for cerebellum problems
GALS: What are you looking for during inspection?
-From Behind-
Trapezius and gluteal muscle bulk size and symmetry
Spinal alignment
Level iliac crests
Popliteal obv swelling
Hindfoot abnormalities
GALS: What are you looking for in the spine?
-From Side-
Cervical lordosis
Thoracic kyphosis
Lumbar lordosis
Schober’s test
Knee flexion/hyperextension
What does Schober’s test assess?
Lumbar flexion by placing two fingers on adjacent vertebrae and asking the pt to touch their toes and come back up again
GALS: What are you looking for in the arms?
-From Front-
Muscle bulk and symmetry
Elbow extension in anatomical position
Cervical spine lateral flexion each side
Open jaw wide and move side to side
Elbow flexion w hands behind head
Crude hand exam inc fists, thumb to each finger, power grip and squeeze across MCPs
What is TMJ pain often a/w?
RA and inflam joint disease
What else does putting hands behind head w elbow back test?
Humeral movement and functionality
GALS: What are you looking for in the legs?
-Lying Down-
Passive knee flexion, hip flexion, hip internal rotation
Patellar tap looking for a large effusion
Sweep/bulge test looking for smaller effusions
Crude foot exam inc callus formation and squeeze across MTPs
Which rotation at the hip do you perform as part of the GALS screen?
Internal
How do you record an unremarkable GALS in the notes?
GALS: NAD
What does REMS stand for?
Regional Examination of the Musculoskeletal System
Hx for Ank Spond
Fatigue, lower back stiffness > pain, early morning and after sitting then relieved by activity
Plus quick SRV
What should you do if you lose your thought in a hx?
Summarise
Ix for Ank Spond
Bloods inc HLA-B27, xray, MRI
What would you find on MRI of ank spond?
Sacroiliitis
Mx for Ank Spond
Early intervention w physio and NSAIDs then consider steroids and biologicals
What is the ACR and EULAR 2010 RA diagnostic cut off?
6 points to dx RA & <6 labelled as undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis
Outline the rheumatoid arthritis ACR and EULAR 2010 classification criteria
Tbc
Felty’s Triad
RA, Splenomegaly, Neutropenia
Hand Hx
Hand dominance, weakness, tingling, pregnant, rheumatoid, prev surgery
RFs for Gout
Age Male Injury CVD HTN CKD Diabetes Obesity Thiazide Lead FHx Diet Alcohol
Mx of Gout vs Pseudogout
Bloods: FBC, U+Es, Uric Acid
Acute Tx: NSAIDs, Colchicine, Steroids
Chronic Tx: lose wt, inc water dec alcoholic and fizzy drinks, low purine diet + allopurinol w initial NSAID cover if gout>pseudo
How can SLE be diagnosed?
> =4
Serositis
Oral Ulcer
Arthritis
Photosensitivity
Blood Disorder Renal Disorder Anti Nuclear Abs Immuno Disorder Neuro Disorder
Malar Rash
Discoid Rash
What is Hatchet sign?
The limited erosion of the lateral aspect of the humeral head found in ank spond
What do the lumbricals of the hands do?
Flex at MCP + Extend at IPJ
Which inflammatory conditions are more common in males>females? (2)
PSC + Ank Spond
What do OA hands look like?
Heberden’s @ DIP
Bouchard’s @ PIP
Base of Thumb Squaring
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriasis
Nail Changes: onycholysis, pitting, subungual hyperkeratosis, discolouration
Small joint arthritis involving both the PIP and DIP joints
Dactylitis
Which antibody is most specific for RA?
Anti-CCP
Ix for RA
O/e: tender, stiff, swollen, number and type of joint involved, DIP sparing
Bloods: acute phase markers, anti-CCP, rheumatoid factor
Imaging: early disease may show synovitis on US/MRI but x-rays monitor joint damage over time - loss of joint space, bony erosions, periarticular osteopenia, joint deformities
Mx of RA
- Analgesics
- NSAIDS
- Steroids
- DMARDs - conventional (methotrexate), biological (anti-TNF), targeted (JAK inhibitors)
Conventional:
Methotrexate
Sulphasalazine
Hydroxychloroquine
Biological: Anti-TNF IL-6 Receptor - toclizumab, sarilumab Anti-CD20 (target B cells) - rituximab CTLA4-Ig (targets T cell activation) - abatacept
Targeted:
JAK Inhibitors
Anti-TNF
Etanercept Adalimumab Certolizumab Golimumab Infliximab
JAK Inhibitors
Tofacitinib
Baricitinib
Upadacitinib
Filgotinib
What is characteristic of the spondyloarthritides?
HLA B27 Arthritis Sacroiliitis Iritis Dactylitis Enthesitis
What is the ASAS classification of axial spondyloarthritis?
Aged <45 w at least 3mnths of back pain
Must have sacroiliitis on imaging plus one other feature or HLA B27 plus two other features
What drug won’t work for axial spondyloarthritis?
Conventional DMARDs
Mx of Ank Spond
- Analgesics
- NSAIDS
- DMARDs - biological (anti-TNF and IL-17 blocker) + targeted (JAK inhibitors)
What is the ASAS classification of peripheral spondyloarthritis?
Aged <45 w peripheral features only
Must have arthritis/enthesitis/dactylitis plus one/two other features
Psoriatic Arthritis X-ray
Loss of joint space
Erosions
Bony proliferation
Osteolysis
Spurs
Mx of Psoriatic Arthritis
- Analgesics
- NSAIDS
- DMARDs - conventional (methotrexate), biological (anti-TNFα or anti-IL17), targeted (JAK inhibitor or apremilast)
Which organisms cause reactive arthritis?
GU: chlamydia
GI: shigella, salmonella, yersinia, campylobacter, e coli
SLE
Mild: rash, arthritis, lymphadenopathy
Mod: pleurisy, pericarditis, cytopenia
Sev: renal and CNS involvement
What are the SLICC criteria for diagnosing SLE?
Must have biopsy proven lupus nephritis w positive ANA or dsDNA
OR
Must have four criteria including at least one clinical and one immunological
Mx of SLE
Minimise the use of prednisolone and add steroid sparing agents: hydroxychloroquine for skin and joint involvement, azathioprine, mycophenolate, rituximab, tacrolimus, cyclophosphamide for sev disease
Ix of CTD
Screen with ANA then dsDNA, ENA, cytoplasmic to confirm dx
How do you monitor treatment efficacy in SLE?
ESR
dsDNA
C3/C4
Primary Sjogren’s Syndrome
It involves inflam destruction of exocrine glands particularly the lacrimal and salivary
What should you counsel a young female with anti-Ro or anti-La abs about?
If she does get pregnant they can cross the placenta and cause fetal heart block
Where does the skin involvement in CREST not progress beyond?
Forearms/Calves
Comps of LCSS
Pulmonary HTN
Plus: ILD, renal crisis, extensive gut disease (all more common in DCSS)
Ix for Scleroderma
Dx: ANA, anti-centromere for LCSS, anti-scl70 for DCSS
Comps: ECG/echo, CXR/CT, U+Es/urinalysis
Mx of Raynaud’s
Consrv: avoid cold environments, keep whole body warm, gloves
Medical: nifedipine, sildenafil, IV iloprost
Ix for Dermatomyositis
CK ANA Myositis Ab Panel MRI Involved Muscle Electromyogram Muscle Biopsy
Ix for GCA
Acute Inflam Markers
Temporal Artery US +/- Biopsy
FDG PET Scan
Mx of GCA
Immediate PO Prednisolone 40-60mg 4w + urgent ophthal review
If visual sx: add IV methylprednisolone 500mg
If persistent/relapsing disease: add an IL6 blocker
ANCA
cANCA: a/w abs to proteinase 3 occurring in pts w GPA
pANCA: a/w abs to myeloperoxidase occurring in pts w eGPA and microscopic polyangiitis
Ddx of Purpuric Rash
Infection: meningococcal septicaemia + haemorrhagic fevers
Inflammation: HSP
Thrombocytopenia: ITP
What could you give pts who are unable to tolerate wkly alendronate?
Annual IV Zoledronate
OR
Biannual S/C Denosumab
How many wks after an acute attack of gout should you wait before starting allopurinol?
3wks
What are the RFs for CPPD?
Inc Age
Hyperparathyroidism
Haemochromatosis
Hypophosphataemia